A Guide to Renovations and Extensions in Conservation Areas

How to enhance your home while preserving its historic character.

Britain is rich with architectural heritage, and our Conservation Areas are a living reminder of that legacy. From the painted townhouses of Clifton in Bristol to the limestone cottages of the Cotswolds, these designated zones protect the utterly unique character of our built environment.

They also bring complexity when it comes to renovation and extension. This is where the value of an architect with hands-on experience with Conservation Areas shines.

At CODA Bespoke, we have a wealth of experience working with Conservation Areas across the UK. Our goal? To help homeowners strike the right balance between thoughtful preservation and contemporary living. Whether you’re dreaming of a kitchen extension in a Victorian terrace or a full renovation of a Georgian townhouse, here’s what you need to know.

What is a Conservation Area?

A Conservation Area is designated by a local authority as having special architectural or historic interest. There are over 11,000 Conservation Areas across the UK, from quiet rural hamlets to bustling urban streetscapes.

Familiar examples include:

• Clifton, Bristol with its pastel Georgian townhouses and leafy streets.
• Primrose Hill, London known for its elegant Victorian terraces and pastel-hued Regency townhouses.
• Harborne Old Village, Birmingham marked by redbrick homes brimming with Victorian and Edwardian charm.
• South Jesmond, Newcastle is home to handsome Victorian properties shaded by mature trees.
• The Grassmarket, Edinburgh steeped in medieval character with magical views of the castle.
• Kelvingrove, Glasgow filled with a mix of sandstone tenements and Arts and Crafts villas.
• Whitby, North Yorkshire, where historic fishing cottages perch above the North Sea.

Each area has its own guidelines but ultimately, the shared goal is to manage change in a way that protects the character and fabric of the neighbourhood.

What restrictions apply?

Living in a Conservation Area doesn’t mean change is forbidden. But it does mean your project will face greater scrutiny. Common restrictions include:

• Demolition controls. You may need permission to demolish even small outbuildings or boundary walls.
• Materials and detailing. Expect requirements to match or complement existing features like roof tiles, sash windows, stonework or pointing.
• Design harmony. Period property extensions must respect scale, massing and rooflines of neighbouring properties.
• Trees and greenery. Many trees are automatically protected, so pruning or removal usually requires consent.
• Standard permitted development rights may be removed. In many cases, you’ll need full planning permission for changes that might otherwise be allowed outside a Conservation Area.

Where do homeowners go wrong?

The biggest pitfall we see is homeowners treating Conservation Areas like standard planning zones. Applying without the right preparation (or trying to push through a generic extension) often leads to delays, rejections or expensive redesigns.

Another common mistake? Believing that “matching” the old means simply replicating it. In reality, local authorities often prefer clearly legible new work. It’s why we often work with homeowners to design modern additions that don’t try to fake heritage but that sit respectfully alongside it. See it in practice in our recent Timperley project. As well as four new-build dwellings, we used sleek glass glazing to sensitively restore the existing building into a character-filled super home.

How can an architect help?

Renovating or extending in a Conservation Area isn’t just about ticking boxes. It’s about reading the nuances of place, understanding the planning language and designing with context in mind.

At CODA Bespoke, we support clients through:

• Early engagement with planners and conservation officers. This maximises your chances of approval from day one.
• Contextual analysis. For example, taking the time to understand local materials, roof pitches, fenestration rhythms and boundary treatments. In our Horncroft project on the edge of the Cawthorne Conservation Area we combined a traditional stone finish with expansive glazing to not only maximise views but add a contemporary feel.
• Design rationale and justification. We’ll show how a proposal enhances rather than detracts from the street scene.
• Heritage statements and planning documentation. Submitted with clarity and care, always.

Designing with character in mind

Every Conservation Area is different but thoughtful design always shares the same principles:

1.      Respect the original

Extensions should never overpower the original building. Whether that’s a rear addition in Stockbridge, Edinburgh or a side return in Walthamstow Village, proportions matter. We look at key sightlines, roof pitches and massing to make sure the new sits comfortably with the old.

2.      Don’t mimic, complement

We love to juxtapose new elements with the original structure, using clean lines and high-quality materials like charred larch, zinc or steel-framed glazing to create contrast. In the Ilkley Conservation Area, for instance, a stone cottage extension might pair traditional gritstone with a minimal, glass-framed extension.

3.      Celebrate transitions

Where old meets new, we craft deliberate junctions. Internal steps, rooflight-lit corridors or changes in ceiling height help define the shift in era without it feeling disjointed.

4.      Let light guide you

Period properties can be dark and compartmentalised. Extensions offer a chance to introduce light through roof glazing, floor-to-ceiling openings or carefully placed slot windows. In our Timperley project, natural light became the anchor around which both old and new spaces revolved.

Sustainability in historic settings

You can absolutely embrace sustainability in a Conservation Area but it must be done sensitively. To achieve this we regularly work with:

• Slim-profile double glazing for sash windows
• Insulation upgrades that preserve breathable walls
• Air-source heat pumps discreetly sited to avoid visual impact
• Solar PV panels designed to sit flush or on secondary roofs

In Oxford’s Jericho district, for example, which showcases the city’s Georgian and Victorian industrial era, you’ll need planning permission to install solar PV or solar thermal equipment on a roof. This doesn’t mean it can’t be done. It just means you’ll need to approach your project with care.

Why this isn’t a job for templates

Generic simply doesn’t work in Conservation Areas. This means that every extension must be tailored not just to the homeowner’s needs, but to the wider fabric of place. At CODA Bespoke, we don’t offer standardised solutions. We work with homeowners across the UK to create custom, built-from-scratch designs that honour context while embracing comfort, flexibility and modern living.

Whether you’re renovating a Regency terrace in Bath, extending a barn in Helmsley or opening up a ground floor in Kensington, our approach is always the same: listen, analyse and design with intention.

Preserving the past, elevating the future

Renovating or extending in a Conservation Area isn’t about restriction. It’s about responsibility. When done well, the results are spectacular. A good architect helps you walk that line between tradition and innovation, form and function, and most importantly, heritage and home.

Thinking of extending or renovating in a Conservation Area? Every home (and every Conservation Area) has its own story. Contact us today and let’s talk about how yours can evolve beautifully.